The Apple Valley senior, the No. 4 recruit in the nation for the 2014 class according to ESPN, announced his long-awaited decision at his high school on Friday afternoon.

A few hours away in Chicago, his long-time friend Jahlil Okafor committed to the Blue Devils as well, making good on the pair's talk of a package deal that they have maintained for the last couple of years.

The two had reportedly narrowed their choices to Kansas and Duke a couple of days earlier, although Jones had never officially said Minnesota was out of the running.

Jones' decision was broadcasted on ESPNU.

Jones is the second of the local 2014 'Big Three' to commit. De La Salle's Reid Travis committed to Stanford last week.

Colleague Joe Christensen was there to cover -- you can read his story here.

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Marcus Fuller joined the Star Tribune in 2016 after 11 years covering Gophers sports – and just about every other team and league in town -- for the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Before making the Twin Cities his home, Marcus spent two years in The Kansas City Star sports department. Marcus grew up in Hawaii and is a 2002 graduate of San Jose State. Follow Fuller on Twitter @Marcus_R_Fuller.